The SMART Go Card User guide has been updated to reflect changes from 2nd January 2012, and 25th June 2012 with the fare structure, and 29th June 2012 changes in the TransLink user guide part 1. Updated for changes from 6th January 2014. Updated for changes from 1st July 2014.

“If all card readers are not working at a station platform, on board a bus or ferry and despite your attempts, you are unable to touch on, you can travel for free to complete your trip. You should not touch off at the end of your trip.”

somebody

I find a good way to avoid misreads on Go Card on buses is to use the alternate reader from the person in front of you. It takes a certain amount of time for the reader to realise that a go card is removed from it, if you try to touch a different go card in that time, it will not work. I didn't do this the other day and got a misread.

From today, fares on the TransLink public transport network increase 7.5%. This is many times inflation/CPI and will only make the already unaffordable fares even more so. Since 2010 go card fares have now increased in real terms around 83%, paper tickets 114%. Today is FARE-mageddon Monday!

The cost of single paper ticket fares relative to the go card is very excessive. It is in the best interests of all public transport users to move to a go card, even if they are not doing 9 journeys or more a week. By moving to a go card they also assist in improving considerably running times for buses as well.

Paper tickets are at least 30% dearer for the equivalent peak go card trip. Off peak go card fares are only 55% the cost of paper single tickets. There is a time limit on paper single tickets. For passengers travelling through 10 zones or less this time period is 2 hours from time of purchase, travelling 11 zones or more 3 hours 30 minutes ( http://translink.com.au/tickets-and-fares/other-tickets/paper-tickets ). The fact there are time limits on the paper tickets is not well understood by many users and could lead to a fare evasion offence in ignorance.

Off peak discounts (presently 20%) are only available to go card users. A small improvement is that off peak touch on time is now 8.30am from today (was 9am).

Go card users can transfer up three times within one hour for each transfer, this can make travel even more affordable. Go card users can take short journeys early in the week to offset other high cost journeys.

The online facilities for management of a go card - e.g. auto top up, transaction history is good. Users should be encouraged to register go cards, by doing that should the card be lost any funds on the go card can be recovered.